The Rolling Stones have never been shy about their “thieving” ways in rock ‘n’ roll.
As Keith Richards once boldly put it, “I’ll take anybody’s idea. You can call that collaboration, I call it thieving.”
They didn’t just borrow— they unapologetically grabbed what they liked from blues legends, funk icons like James Brown, and even took a page out of The Beatles’ psychedelic playbook.
Yet, somehow, the Stones managed to mold all of these influences into something distinctly their own, becoming the embodiment of rebellious rock ‘n’ roll swagger.
As Pete Townshend of The Who once said, in his eyes, there’s only room for two bands in classic rock: The Rolling Stones and The Who— no others come close.
However, that hasn’t stopped countless acts from trying to mimic the Stones’ swagger. From glam rockers to metalheads, many aspiring bands took a page from the Stones’ playbook, though Mick Jagger often found the imitators embarrassing.
Despite this, the band’s cocky defiance remained intact, with Jagger proclaiming, “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”
Jagger, however, took issue with one particular imitator: Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.
Despite his admiration for Tyler as a person, Jagger wasn’t thrilled with Tyler’s Jagger-esque stage presence.
Back in 1977, Jagger snidely remarked, “He’s almost too bloody sweet. He’s such a little sweetheart, really—what can you do with him? Punch ‘im in the mouth? Here, what are you playing at, fuckin’ impersonating me?”
While the two never came to physical blows, Jagger continued to hurl insults at Aerosmith’s music, calling them “rubbish” and “absolute bullshit.”
Even so, Aerosmith went on to achieve immense success, rivaling The Rolling Stones in record sales and eventually earning a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tyler embraced the comparison, famously quipping during the band’s induction, “I wonder if this’ll put an end to, ‘Hey, aren’t you Mick Jagger?’” To which, Jagger—wherever he was—likely rolled his eyes and muttered, “He wishes.”
Despite the obvious similarities, Aerosmith argued that their sound and style diverged significantly from the Stones.
Drummer Joey Kramer didn’t mince words in a Louder Sound interview, claiming, “I’ve never cared for the Stones. They never had anything to offer me musically, especially in the drumming department.”
Kramer’s criticism only fueled the ongoing rivalry, as both bands continued their reigns as rock royalty.
In the end, this back-and-forth of insults became a fundamental part of rock ‘n’ roll mythology.
Whether the rivalry between The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith was built on mutual respect or thinly veiled animosity, one thing remains clear: the wheel of classic rock’s infamous feuds keeps spinning, ensuring that the drama will always be part of its enduring legacy.
